


A monster outside but a knight inside

by Intoxic



Series: Frostiron stuff [6]
Category: Norse Religion & Lore, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom, Thor (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Beauty and the Beast Elements, Curses, Loki is a mix of norse religion and marvel, M/M, Not Beta Read, Witch Curses, if you squint your eye there is some beauty and the beast motives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-15
Updated: 2021-03-04
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:41:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,325
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28089447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Intoxic/pseuds/Intoxic
Summary: There was this old tale running through the air of nine realms, a story about an old beast hidden among the shadows of Svartalfheim. A beast that roars and howls could be heard at night. A monster that had dark fur with crimson paws and fangs covered by the blood of its enemies. A beast that was still undefeated, an animal that killed anyone on its way.And now it was about to kill Loki.
Relationships: Loki & Thor (Marvel), Loki/Tony Stark
Series: Frostiron stuff [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1952353
Comments: 57
Kudos: 97





	1. PART I

**PART I**

Loki was cursed. He had to be. The fates must have cursed him on the day he was born. There was no other explanation for such bad luck in his life. And this bad luck wore the name of Thor Odinson, his big brother.

Loki loved his brother dearly. Living with Thor was even good on most days when Thor was far away from Loki. However, Thor rarely left his brother’s side, the order of their mother. Frigga asked * _ ordered*  _ him to include Loki in his activities with his friends. 

That’s how Loki got into the situation he was currently in.

There was this old tale running through the air of nine realms, a story about an old beast hidden among the shadows of Svartalfheim. A beast that roars and howls could be heard at night. A monster that had dark fur with crimson paws and fangs covered by the blood of its enemies. A beast that was still undefeated, an animal that killed anyone on its way.

And now it was about to kill Loki.

Did Loki mention he was cursed? He was, and his bad luck was about to hit again.

Thor and his merry band of idiots, known better as  _ Sif and Warriors Three,  _ and Loki, after pleading and meaningful looks from his parents to tag along decided to show their bravery once more. Volstagg offered to travel to Svartalfheim to defeat the mystery beast. Thor was the first to agree to this journey. His comrades quickly followed his example. Honestly, Loki had no area to argue with their idiocy. He sighed exasperatedly and gave up. 

Two days later, they stepped onto the dead grounds of Svartalfheim. Millennia ago, Svartalfheim was home for Dark Elves. The creatures of the dark were ruled by Malekhit. A cruel and warmongering creature who has been worshiped as a god by his people. His one desire was to cover the whole universe in eternal darkness again. Thankfully, King Borr of Asgard, as the first Allfather and protector of all nine realms, went into a war with him. The war between Svartlfars and Asgardians went under the Convergence, the alignment of the worlds. The battle was very memorable, but it took away a lot of warriors from both sides. In the end, the elves were defeated, and the peace fell onto the nine realms again.

Until the mystery beast awoke in Svartalfheim centuries later. 

The legends of the beast were known by anyone, from a youngling to an elder. Parents used the tale of the beast to scare their children to sleep when they weren’t scaring them with giants of Jotunheimr. Loki knew those legends by heart.

Now he stood eye to eye with the said legend.

_ He lay on the cold ground more, to be precise. _

_ But, back to how it happened. _

Their journey to Svartalfheim was smooth, as much as it can be with Thor and his boars of friends. They slew many beasts on their path, the endorphins of the battle ran through their bodies. Loki felt the excitement as well. He didn’t like to engage in battles as much as his brother, but he was a warrior as well. He could feel the satisfaction from killing an enemy or a beast. He felt it too on some level. Perhaps not as much as Thor and his merry band of idiots, but still. Yet, even though Loki had the same training as they, and seidr on his side, it didn’t save him from being a victim of the Svartalfheim’s beast. However, it wasn’t the beast who attacked them first. A pack of Bilgenslipies attacked them at dawn. They were too many of them, attacking from each side. Suddenly, Loki felt a bite on his shin. Ripping pain went through his whole body. Before he knew it, the mage fell to the cold ground and groaned in pain. His body convulsed, his breath was hitched. His heart started to hammer in his chest. His mouth was dry. 

Loki knew it. 

He was poisoned. 

There must have been some poison on the bilgenslipie’s fangs. Loki tried to call on his seidr, but he was too weak. His seidr wasn’t flowing properly underneath his skin. He didn’t feel it as he always did. 

Fear was slowly creeping on the mage. There was no one around. Thor and his band were long gone, fighting off other beasts. Loki had no means to even call for help. 

He was going to die here. All alone, on a cold ground of Svartalfheim. He just hoped that his daughter will be the one to come for him in the end. 

Loki felt his body going weaker and weaker with each passing second. The feeling of his seidr was now long lost. His heart’s beating grew lighter, almost as if it was giving its last beats. Despite the tales, Loki didn’t see any light before him or his whole life when he closed his eyes. However, when he opened his eyes again, he was met with two small amber points before him. 

The last thing he acknowledged was a loud howl and a warm breath on his face.

Then, there was nothing but darkness. 

Loki felt warmth. Shouldn’t death be cold as ice on Jotunheimr? Yet, he was surrounded by warmth and something thick and furry. It was odd. As time passed, more senses were coming back to him. The mage realized he lay on something furry, which wasn’t smelling like roses, but he endured worse. Norns, this death was a strange thing. 

It was then when Loki realized something. He could hear and feel his heartbeat. 

_ Was he alive? _

Loki dared to open his eyes. The place he was in was mostly dark, barely lit up by something in the corner. Loki couldn’t see the source of light from his lying position. His eyes moved around. An arc of stalagmites above him told him he was in a cave, or something similar to it. The mage moved his eyes lower and realized he’d been covered by some animals’ fur. He couldn’t see anything else, for at that moment he heard low growling. Loki stilled in his place again, half-laying half-sitting. He didn’t dare to move a single part of his body. 

Loud footsteps, maybe waddling even, were heard closer and closer to him. His poor heart started to hammer again in his chest, telling him that it’s still alive. At least for the time being. The steps were heavier and closer to him until they stopped. The mage swallowed hard and dared to turn his head a bit to the right. 

Loki's heart stilled the second his eyes crossed with two amber pools he had seen before. 

_ Norns!  _

_ This was the legendary beast of Svartalfheim. _

_ And it was going to eat Loki alive.  _

_ Goodbye world.  _ The mage thought to himself. 

Loki closed his eyes again and waited for his death. 

  
  
  
  



	2. PART II

**PART II**

Loki's heart was about to jump out of his chest. Blood was pumping so loud in his veins that the beast must have heard it as well. It did. The monster stilled its movements and turned to face Loki. There was some red liquid dripping from its face. Blood, Loki assumed. Perhaps, the beast ate something before, yet, its hunger wasn't sated enough. Now it will satisfy itself with Loki's body. 

However, as the moments passed, the beast didn't make a single move closer to Loki. No. It stilled in a place, crossed its eyes with the mage as if it tried to tell him something, and then... it turned back to Loki's injured leg. The beast moved closer until it stood before the mage, with its face just above the wound on Loki's leg. It opened its mouth, letting the red liquid dripping right out on the wound. It burned as if Loki was in the middle of a flame. However, it lasted only a moment or so before he felt numbness around the wound. Loki dared to look down at the beast who was hovering over the wounded leg. The monster observed it warily as if he knew what was happening. It took a moment more before the animal took two steps back and grabbed something between its fangs again. The next second, it turned again to Loki's leg and placed a green moss on the wound. 

Loki was astounded. 

It looked like the beast was taking care of Loki. Shouldn't it want to kill and eat him? It was confusing to the mage. 

Eventually, the beast sat down on its back paws and turned its face to look at the mage. Loki took a great look at it. 

It had dark brown fur with long hair. There were golden and red highlights in its fur on its face. The animal looked similar to a large bear mixed with bilgenslipe. It had four paws with long claws. Its paws were darker than the fur on its back and front, albeit there was some golden hair sticking out of them as well. Its snout was long; its ears pointed similar to a wolf. Its fangs were long, shiny, and sharp, dangerous to its prey. The strangest thing was the white circle in the middle of its front. It was a perfect circle with delicate silver lines in the middle of it. It looked almost as if there was a pattern of a triangle in the middle of this circle. 

It was fascinating. 

The animal made no move to attack Loki. It kept staring into Loki's green eyes with some... sadness, or longing. The mage couldn't decide. 

Suddenly, the animal stood up, as if it remembered something. It walked out of the cave but returned soon with something between its fangs. It spat something before Loki. The mage looked down on this, and his stomach lurched up to his throat. It was raw meat, some kind of a small animal, still with part of fur on it. 

Loki wanted to throw up. 

The beast pushed the offer closer to Loki and looked expectantly at him. Was Loki to eat this raw meat? Did this beast think Loki an animal as well? The mage looked from the offer to the beast and back again. He could not eat this. 

The beast observed him curiously before it nudged Loki's right hand. It grabbed it between its fangs but didn't bite down, and it forced Loki to sit up properly. The animal nudged Loki forward again, forcing him to stand up. The mage faltered slightly, but the beast was by his side and helped him regain his balance again. Once on his feet, Loki was pushed forward slowly, step by step, until he founded himself in another part of the cave. There was a small stock of wood piled in the middle of it. It clicked in Loki's mind immediately. The beast wanted him to lit up a fire, to cook the meat for himself. The mage didn't acknowledge that he was left alone for a moment. A second later, the beast appeared again with raw meat between its fangs. It sat down on his paws and placed raw meat in front of the pile of wood. Then it pushed it closer to Loki. 

"What are you?" Loki spoke for the first time, confused by everything that happened from the second he had opened his eyes. "You don't want to hurt me?"

The beast... no ... the animal moved its head to left then to right as if it tried to shake it in a disagreement. 

"You understand my words?" A move of its face up and down. "Remarkable..." 

Loki conjured a flame and pushed it onto the pile of wood. He may be in a cave, but it doesn't mean he will eat raw meat. The prince of Asgard stacked meat on one of the stick and placed it in the fire he conjured. However, his eyes still settled on the animal. It observed Loki as well. Its brown eyes were warm, but there was some pain in them as well. The mage had to admit he never encountered such an animal before.

It hit him then like Thor's lightning. 

Maybe it wasn't an animal after all?

Perhaps...

Loki dropped the stick with meat into the fire and brought his hands to the animal's snout. The animal sniffed them for a moment and leaned under the mage's cool hands; its fur was so soft in touch. Silvertongue wondered if he'd use his seidr on this animal, would he find out more? However, magic can bring harm to beings unused of it. Should he risk this animal's safety for his selfish desire for knowledge?

However, the animal seemed to read in his mind. It retracted its snout from under Loki's hands and moved into the corner of the cave. It only took it a moment to come back. It spat some scraps of metal right in front of Loki. Some red and gold elements of strong metal; too damaged to determine from what they could be. Perhaps some machine or an armor? 

The animal gave him a determined look, but Loki couldn't understand it. Were these scraps to help him somehow? Yet, he had no idea how. 

The animal huffed and growled, looking around the cave frantically. Perhaps, it finally determined Loki as its prey? Will it kill Loki now?

Yet, before Loki had a chance to feel fear for his life, the beast surprised him again. It started to move its paw on the ground. It pushed its claws into the ground and scraped it. The sound was hurting Loki's ears, but he didn't stop it. It took a long while but eventually, the animal retracted its paw and looked at Loki hopefully. 

The mage settled his eyes on the messy pattern on the ground created by his furry savior. It was very messy, however, when Loki focused on it, he could see that they looked like letters. Thanks to the Allspeak he possessed, his mind quickly helped him out with decoding it. 

TONY

"Tony? What is this tony?" the mage asked, confused, looking into the eyes of the animal. It raised its paw in the air and touched its snout. 

Loki's eyes widened when his mind clicked. 

"It's you?" The animal moved its head up and down in a confirming manner. "You are Tony." Again the same movement. "You are not an animal at all, are you?" Again, a confirmation from the animal... from Tony. "Just what are you? Perhaps I should ask, who are you, Tony?"


	3. PART III

**PART III**

The beast... _ Tony  _ stared into Loki’s eyes with intensity for the past hour or so. Truthfully, it could be even days, for all Loki knew. Its…  _ his _ eyes were so full of pain and longing that Loki felt his pain in his heart as well. Whoever this  _ Tony  _ was, he was hurt deeply by something, or rather by someone. 

_ Tony  _ wasn’t an animal. He understood every single word of Loki. He communicated back with the mage, as much as he could do it in this form. 

Loki felt sorry for him. 

It was strange, for Loki does not have feelings for people, sans his mother. And yet, here in this cave, with Tony staring into his green eyes, he felt more than he had in his entire lifetime. The mage raised his right hand in Tony’s direction. The other creature followed his movements with his brown eyes. When Tony understood Loki’s attempt, he bent his head, slightly leaning under Loki’s cool hand. Surprisingly, Tony’s dark fur was soft, despite living in a cave and the constant hunts he dabbles himself in. It was so soft that Loki couldn’t stop himself from running his fingers through it. 

Tony let out a content sigh under his hand. He liked it. 

Before Loki knew, Tony moved closer and placed his whole head on the mage’s lap. Brown eyes crossed with green ones again, a deep look full of hope, under the dark lashes of this strange creature, who needed help. 

It struck Loki then right and square.

“You knew I was a mage, didn’t you?” A soft nod from Tony in a reply. “This is why you didn’t kill me, why you saved me in the woods and treated my wounds, am I correct? You want… you need my help, Tony?”

Another quick nod of the creature. 

“I believe it is only fair of me to return a favor,” Loki continued, fingers still running through Tony’s soft fur. “You saved me. I shall save you from this occurrence as well.” 

If there was a smile that the beast could perform, this must be it. The way Tony flashed his fangs at Loki and the happy wiggling of his tail informed Loki about the creature’s happiness from his words. 

“First things first,” the mage spoke and pushed Tony off his lap. The creature gave him a confused look as he sat on his back paws. “I must learn who you are, Tony and what has happened to you. I will help you do not fret. I must know what I am to deal with here.”

Tony gave him a single nod before he stood and ran out of this part of the cave. Long before Loki could even think about calling him back, Tony ran inside again with some wooden casket between his fangs. He dropped the item on Loki’s lap and waited for his reaction. 

The casket wasn’t any big; it was more like those small ones to keep jewelry in. It's made of wood and metal with beautiful marks crafted into it. It had a lock, albeit it was broken, possibly by Tony’s fangs or paws. The mage took it gently in his hands and brought it close to his eyes to study. The markings;  _ runes  _ were beautifully crafted into the wood and metal. Loki touched each of them with such a delicacy as you touch a newborn baby. The runes were from Vanaheimr this Loki knew for sure. They stated for family, nobility, smithy, love…

Loki felt a soft nudge in his side and looked down at Tony. The creature was looking expectantly between him and the casket. Loki understood immediately. He slowly opened the wooden casket and looked inside. It contained a few small scrolls, but they weren’t what interested Loki at that very moment. Loki's eyes were drawn to the beautiful emerald necklace at the bottom of the casket. Loki reached for it and took it out. The necklace was remarkable. Loki had never seen something so marvelous as this. The oval emerald was embraced by a silver frame and connected to a silver chain. However, the most intriguing thing was the moving snake inside the emerald. Its golden eyes sparkling, making the whole emerald glowing with light. It was magnificent. 

Tony nudged Loki again and forced him to turn it around. There was encryption at the back of the emerald. It was in Vanir’s language, but Loki understood it perfectly well. 

_ To my Tony, one day your steel heart will melt as the metal you forged when your true love finds you. - Mother _

The dedication was beautiful as well, at least at some point. Loki read it all over again. It took him a moment, but finally, he understood.

“Metal you forged…” he mused to himself. “A smithy! You were a smith, weren’t you, Tony?”

A quick nod in response. 

“Were you from Vanaheimr?” Another nod. 

Something was brushing Loki’s mind. A memory, more like a story he had heard somewhere a very long time ago. He closed his eyes and tried to recall it as much as he could. 

There was this old story about a smithy with a steel heart. A smith who led on many fair ladies but never gave them his heart away. Vanirs often told this story as an old tale, from the time when Loki was still a youngling and visited his uncles and grandparents on Vanaheimr. There was something which involved a young witch, who had fallen in love with someone… with the smithy... However, if Loki recalled well, the smithy rejected her advances in favor of another fair lady in their realm. If Loki remembered good the young witch cursed him with his name…

_ Your heart will remain just as stark as your name, Anthony Starkson. You were a monster who rejected my heart. Now you will take the true form of your monstrous soul. May it be known to you, you will remain a monster until you will offer your real heart to your true love, who will love you in return.  _

“You are Anthony Starkson?” A single nod from Tony. “A witch cursed you because you rejected her love?” Another nod. 

It complicated things. If it were a simple curse, Loki could break it within time. However, love curses were the most powerful ones; this much Loki had learned from his mother. They weren’t breakable by any spell or seidr of another mage. They were only to break when fulfilled. 

Loki sighed exasperatedly. He couldn’t help Tony with this. 

He couldn’t enchant Tony to fall in love with someone, for someone would have to fall in love with him as well. It seemed to be a lost cause for Anthony Starkson. 

Loki could relate to this, for no one will ever love a monster. 

“I am so very sorry, Tony,” he whispered to the creature, who looked at him with so much pain that it physically hurt Loki. “I cannot break it for you. It cannot be broken with any magic that I know of.”

Tony hung his head down, and his whole body slumped as well. It was heartbreaking to look at him like that. Loki wanted to reach out to run his fingers through Tony’s fur again in comfort, but the other creature jerked back before he could land a hand on him. Loki retracted his hand immediately. He should have expected that. If he cannot help Tony, he’s not of use to him. Will Tony now kill Loki? He could do it so easily. Yes, Loki felt his seidr flowing rightly underneath his skin again and could skywalk from the cave any moment now, but he feared Tony could attack him as well. 

There was also this gnawing feeling in Loki’s stomach. The one that told him not to abandon this poor creature… this poor man, who was turned into a monster just because he hadn't loved a lady that set her heart on him. He couldn’t leave him all alone now. 

Hmm… perhaps Loki will have some idea on how to break the spell. After all, there was someone else involved with the curse. Someone who needed to be found as soon as possible. 

_ Tony’s lost, true love. _


	4. PART IV

Vanaheim looked just as Loki remembered it. A stagnant place, similar to Asgard, but without gold seeping from every available space. Loki skywalked here from Tony's cave when he was on a hunt for breakfast for the mage. Loki had to pass on another meat. For the past few days, it was his only meal: cooked on fire meat without any real spice. He could, of course, conjure himself food from Asgard. However, he didn't want to offend Tony's feelings. After all, he hunted for Loki. 

The mage moved quickly through the familiar paths of Vanaheim. He needed to find someone from Tony's past, someone who would tell him the whole story. Someone who Tony loved while he was still a human. Loki decided that his best option for learning the tale will be his old uncle Freyr, the king of Vanaheim. Freyr became the king of Vanaheim long before Loki's mother was born. She was the youngest of her siblings. Freyr became a king at the same time Odin took the reign of Asgard after grandfather Borr died in a battle against the frost giants. He had to know something. 

"Do my eyes deceive me, or is it little Loki?" the mage heard a curious voice behind his back. He turned around and faced Frey, the oldest son of uncle Freyr. "You've grown since I've seen you for the last time, little Loki. How is your darling mother?" 

"She fares well, Frey," Loki replied, bowing his head in a graditude. "How did you know I came here?"

"Oh, you know," he smirked at Loki. "I sensed your seidr. What brings you to Vanaheim? It is not a political visit, is it? I see no Thor with you."

"No," the mage stated firmly, as Frey matched his step. "I came here to talk to uncle Freyr. I have met an intriguing creature that I am in debt for saving my life. I must... I offered my help in resolving his problem. However, I must seek advice and knowledge first. I believe uncle Freyr will be the most helpful to me." 

"I will take you to him, little Loki," Loki growled at this  _ endearment.  _ He's far from being little for centuries now. Frey walked him inside the palace, straight to the throne room. Nothing has changed here as well, the same poorly decorated arrases on the walls, the throne that was asking for a replacement. But it wasn't Loki's place to dictate the decor here. "Father," Frey addressed the old king. "Loki of Asgard asks for an audience."

"Ah!" King Freyr looked up from his throne and crossed his eyes with Loki. He changed a lot in the past years. His hair, the ones he still had, was white. His blue eyes had no more glow, his face covered in wrinkles. His whole posture was hunched, pressed by the heavy furs and coat he wore. "Little Loki, my favorite nephew. What brings you here?"

Loki bowed his head to the king and stepped closer to him. When he stood close to the throne, Loki bit down on his lower lip. He wondered how to start his issue. He was called a Silvertongue by many, but he struggled to begin. When king Freyr cleared his throat in a meaningful tone, Loki shook his head and decided to speak the truth, despite his god of the lies moniker. 

"I seek knowledge about one of your old subjects." King Freyr raised his left brow in a silent question. "Do you remember one Anthony Starkson? He was a smithy here on Vanaheim." 

"A royal one too," King Freyr added. "He is long dead, my sweet boy. He has been cursed by Wanda, a witch that came here from Midgard. She fell in love with him while he traveled to Midgard in his youth. However, his  _ steel  _ heart, as they said, was set on one of your grandmother's maiden. I cannot recall her name now. She cursed him. The tale says he did not survive encountering her magic, and he died. Your grandmother cast Wanda out back to Midgard and took her powers away." King Freyr made a small pause, musing over his own words. "There is also another version of this old tale, my boy."

"Another?" Loki asked quickly. The story he just heard was very believable. "Do tell, uncle dear."

"They say the maiden cast Starkson out when she saw the monster he has been turned into. She denied the love she ever had for him and broke his heart. They say Starkson took on his own life. He couldn't bear his broken heart." 

_ Oh, Tony...  _ Loki thought to himself. Poor man. Loved by one insane woman, while the one he loved never loved him truly back. 

"Why do you ask?" King's voice woke him from his thoughts. "Starkson is long gone, Loki. It is no use to dwell on this old tale. If Asgard is looking for a new smithy, I have heard that Etri of Nidavellir is back in business. He made Thor's hammer, did he not?" 

"Indeed," Loki mused. "We are not looking for a new smithy, uncle dear. I am seeking knowledge about Anthony Starkson, for he is alive, uncle. He is very much alive." 

King Freyr leaned closer to him, giving him a confused look. 

"He has been turned into a beast, indeed," Loki added. "He saved me on Svartalfheim and nursed me back to health. He told me... in his way, the story about himself. I need to help him break the curse. Do you know if that maiden is still alive? I need to..."

"This is not how you break love curses," a new voice joined the conversation. Loki turned around and spotted Anarah, an old maiden of his mother. She was sent back to Vanaheim when she reached her old age, courtesy of Frigga. King Freyr kept her in his palace due to respect, for she was a maiden of his wife and daughter. The older woman came closer to him and offered him a small smile. "Oh Loki, you've grown up since I last saw you. How does your mother fare?"

"She is well," he replied. "What do you mean you don't break love curses like that, Anarah?"

"A love curse can be broken only with true love." 

"A true love's kiss?" Loki asked, recalling all the stories he heard in his youth. They were nothing but romantic tales for young girls to dream about their perfect prince. 

"No," she explained slowly. "Anthony Starkson's steel heart has been cursed. To break this curse, one must offer his heart to the beast. One must love the beast for who he is now. And he must truly love the other as well." 

"But who will love the beast?" Loki asked more himself than other people in the room. Yet, it was Anarah who replied to his question. 

"Someone with an equally steel heart as his. The curse says that his true love will see him in his real shape. Not a monster, not a person. Just Anthony. And he will see not a monster, not a person in his true love. He will see just them. Their steel hearts will melt one another, and they will find happiness despite the pain in their lives." 

"You say this as if you were..."

"I have been there when he has been cursed by Wanda," Anarah explained again. "His mother came to me to beg for help. Yet, I could not. However, I enchanted something of his that only his true love will see."

Loki wondered what it could be. Perhaps one of those letters from the box? Maybe the box itself? Hm... he needed to talk to Tony about everything he had learned here. If the maiden wasn't his true love, perhaps there is still a chance to find them? 

Maybe he will be able to help Tony. 

Maybe he will find Tony's true love.

Loki bid goodbye to both King Freyr and Anarah and quickly left the palace. He needed to go back to Tony's cave. There was a lot of thinking ahead of them. 

Yes. Indeed, they had a plan to form.

* * *

When Loki skywalked out of the palace, King Freyr looked at his old friend. Anarah was smiling to herself, looking at the place where Loki stood moments before. 

"You did not tell him, Anarah," King Freyr addressed her. "Why?"

"I am not the one to tell him. He must discover it himself, my king," she replied. "But he will, soon. He already wears the necklace. Soon, Anthony will see the truth about Loki as well. I have seen it all, my king."


	5. PART V

Loki found Tony in the same place he had left him. The beast was lying in the corner of his cave with his nose buried in Loki's dirty cloak. When the mage stepped closer, Tony's right ear twitched, but he had not looked up at Loki. 

_ Was he angry at Loki? Perhaps Loki left in too much hurry when Tony went hunting? He should have alerted him of his leave.  _

"Tony?" Loki spoke to his furry friend. Yet, the beast ignored him again. "Tony?" Loki addressed him once more, taking careful steps closer to him. When he was a step before the animal, Loki kneeled on the cold ground and pushed his hand forward. He didn't dare to touch Tony as he had done in the past days. "Tony?" he called softly to his friend. "Are you mad at me?"

Tony opened his left eye and looked at Loki with something the mage couldn't determine.  _ Anger? Hurt? Abandonment?  _

"I apologize I left in a rush," Loki spoke again. "I did not want to get your hopes up if my mission would fail." 

At that, Tony finally reacted. He opened his other eye and quickly raised himself to his paws. He sat on his back paws and cocked his head to the left as if he was asking Loki a silent question.

"I went to Vanaheim." Suddenly, Tony's face was an inch close to Loki's. His amber eyes stared deeply into the mage's greens; there was a spark of hope in the animal's eyes. He could not blame him for such a feeling. Tony nudged Loki's hand with his cold, wet nose. "I sought my uncle out. He's the king of Vanaheim. Perhaps you even remember him, Tony. King Freyr?" Tony gave him a single nod. "He remembers you as well, Anthony." 

Loki was surprised at how easily Tony's proper name rolled off his tongue.  _ Anthony... yes, it sounded more elegant than Tony.  _

"They told me a whole story about your curse, Anthony," Loki continued. "I learned the name of the witch that cursed you and why did she so. I also learned the truth about the maiden you had fallen in love with." 

At that, Tony lowered his head and sighed tiredly. 

"I am truly sorry for how your heart has been broken." Loki placed his palm on Tony's head and stroked his fur. "I cannot imagine how one could reject such a fine man. I am certain you were one of the greatest smiths in Vanaheim, perhaps even in all Nine Realms, Anthony." 

Tony looked at him again and licked his cheek. In other circumstances, Loki would react to such atrocity, but he could forgive Tony this act. 

"I spoke with Anarah. She was a maiden of my mother's, and she was moved to Vanaheim in her old age," Loki explained further, as Tony sat on his back paws again. "She is a witch as well, albeit not as strong as the one that cursed you. Wanda, I believe, was her name. Anarah enlightened me in love curses, my friend. They can't be simply broken with a spell."

Tony whined and hung his head again. 

"However, she told me how to break one." Tony's eyes crossed with his again. A new spark of hope burst in two amber pools. "A curse of true love can be broken with... as much as cliche it sounds, with true love." 

Tony cocked his head to the side in confusion. 

"Only true love can free you from this curse, Anthony."

Tony slumped to the ground heavily and covered his eyes with his right paw. A tad dramatic, but Loki couldn't blame him. He was called the dramatic one, too often as well. 

"Do not worry, my furry friend," Loki called out to him. Tony moved his right paw to squint at Loki. "I have a plan how to save you." Tony huffed at him, but he looked quite interested in Loki's tactics as well. "We're going to find you one true love, my dear friend. They just wait somewhere out there for you. We only have to find them, Anthony." 

Tony gave him one of his hard looks before he looked at himself and then back at Loki as if he tried to understand who would love a beast like he is. Loki knew he'd have to convince him some more to his plan, but the mage believed they would succeed. There must be someone out there who will love Tony for who he is. Loki was sure about this. 

"Lighten up, Anthony," Loki stroked his brown fur some more. "I am certain of our mission. We will find your true love and break this wretched curse. Oh, yes, we will. I believe in us." 

Tony didn't look convinced to this just yet. But he will, in time. 

"I know from Anarah that she enchanted something of yours," Loki recalled the words of the older witch. "This item will be seen by your true love. I believe it is something from your casket, so we mustn't forget about it in our departure." Tony gave him a quizzical look again. "Indeed, my friend. We are going on a quest to find your one true love, Anthony Starkson. And we will start with a place where everything has begun." 

Tony's eyes were widening with every next word of Loki.

"Oh, yes, we're going back to Vanaheim, Anthony. We're going back to your home."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for AWOL, but lately, I find little strength to write, whatever it may be. It's not that I don't have ideas, but when I sit down to write anything, I procrastinate so much. I think I lack the will to write, but I don't know why. I'll do my best to give you the last part quicker than a month. Thanks for reading and all.


	6. PART VI

Loki was slowly losing his mind. The frustration was killing him slowly day by day for the past two weeks, ever since they came to Vanaheim. Tony was no better than him. The human in the animal's body was sighing frustratedly as well.

Their quest was so far fruitless. 

Loki tried, tried so hard to find someone who'd love Tony, but... no one was founded. Wherever Loki and Tony stepped in, the people of Vanaheim were screaming in fear and running away from them. Loki didn't understand them. Tony was anything but dangerous to them. He just walked by Loki's side, sometimes behind him. He kept his head lowered, didn't growl at anyone... Yes, he still looked like a beast, but he wasn't acting like one. Not at all. Tony was mild, almost fearful of those people. 

Loki couldn't blame him. When they were all screaming, threatening them with fire... Loki would be fearful of them as well. Of course, Tony would beat them all, but... he seemed to trust in Loki's plan to find his one true love among those people. Someone, who'd finally free him of this curse. 

Loki didn't think it would be this hard.

They stayed in his uncle's castle, in the farther wing, close to gardens where his mother grew up. Tony loved those gardens. He dragged Loki there only to push him to the grass and play with him. 

Loki didn't laugh like this in centuries... or maybe never? Being with and around Tony... was a great time for the mage. He never felt so carefree like during the time Tony chased him around the woods of Vanaheim. He never harmed him, even when he managed to catch him. He bit Loki playfully but never made actual damage. 

He was a wonderful creature. 

Loki didn't understand, how no one could see it.

One day, Tony took him to his old home. No one lived there for centuries, for his parents perished years ago. His old smithy was closed and ruined by burglars and the locals who believed that Tony would attack them just after he was cursed. 

He wasn't a monster!

Tony dragged him inside the ruined smithy. Loki could see in his brown eyes the longing after his old life. Tony sat next to what used to be his contour and looked at the broken tools. His eyes were scanning each item until they stopped at a dagger covered in the dusk. Loki walked closer to him and took the dagger into his hands.

There were protection runes engraved into the silver, sharp knife. Loki recognized them immediately. There were the first protection runes he had learned as a child. They were placed between an engraved snake in the middle of the knife.

"It is beautiful," Loki marveled at the knife out loud. It was truly a work of art. A deadly and yet beautiful weapon. The mage placed it back on the table and looked at the other items. However, a moment later, he felt a nudge to his hands. He looked down and spotted Tony, holding the dagger between his teeth. Loki gave him a quizzical look when the animal placed the dagger in Loki's palms. It hit him then. "You're offering this dagger to me?"

A single nod from Tony.

"I ca..." Loki cut himself off and looked into Tony's eyes. The other was giving him an intense look, full of something that the mage couldn't understand yet. Loki looked at the dagger in his hands and back at Tony before he opened his mouth again. "Thank you, Anthony."

If animals could smile, this would be a true smile that Tony was giving to him at that very moment. Loki smiled in return. 

At night in their shared chamber, Loki lied on the bed, while Tony dozed on the ground. The mage observed how his chest was slowly rising and falling in regular movements. Before he knew, Loki stood up from his bed and walked to his friend. He kneeled by his side, quietly observing the other, but Tony didn't even open one of his eyes. The Aesir laid by the animal's side and gently touched the soft fur on Tony's front, right where the heart of his was beating.

"I am so very sorry that I failed you, Anthony," Loki whispered, ever so silently. "I gave you my word that I will break this curse for you, and yet, I cannot. Perhaps I am not good enough of a mage to complete this task. Perhaps, my mother could be more helpful? I wish I could take this curse off you. I cannot understand why anyone would see you as a monster. You are not one."

Loki made a small pause.

"I am one," he added so quietly that he wondered if he had spoken out loud. Loki swallowed hard and continued, still observing his sleeping friend. "You opened yourself to me, and I... I cannot even tell you what kind of a monster I am."

Loki closed his eyes and recalled the hurtful truth he had discovered lately when they traveled to Jotunheim. They had no hostile attitude towards the monsters living there, and yet, they were attacked. Jotuns recognized the second prince of Asgard in Loki and decided to attack him and Tony. Anthony tried his best to protect Loki. He barred his fangs and growled at the Jotuns as he took a stance in front of the mage. But even he wasn't immune to their frostbites.

Unlike Loki. 

When one of the Jotuns grabbed Loki by his forearm, Loki and the other monster were shocked to the core, when it was only Loki's armor that broke. They looked at themselves quickly. However, before the Jotun could do anything more, Loki pulled the dagger Anthony gave him and ran it through the heart of the blue creature. A moment later he called for Heimdall, who took him and Anthony briefly to Asgard. Loki confronted his father after he had broken the glamor that was put on him by Odin. 

How could they lie to him through his entire life?!

Too much hurt by the revealed truth, Loki glamoured himself back and ran from the palace. He snatched Tony on his way and skywalked them back to Vanaheim. The news of his fath... of Odin's falling under the Odinsleep reached his ears quickly, but Loki was too hurt to care for this as much as he should. 

The mage never revealed the hurtful truth he had learned in Asgard, even though Tony gave him a quizzical look when they came back. Loki quickly dismissed it and hid his pain behind a forced smile. 

He bears the truth in his heart until this very moment. 

"You were cursed to be a monster and I was born one, Anthony," he whispered. "I wish my true form was a breakable curse as well, but no. It is not a curse. Perhaps that is why I cannot manage to find your true love, my friend. Perhaps a monster like I cannot see real love?" 

Tony was still asleep when Loki stood up and changed his form with the Casket of Ancient Winters he had taken from Asgard's vault. The blue form of a monster looked at him back from the mirror in the room. 

He was the monster. Not Anthony. Loki was the real monster, hiding under the guise created by himself and the Allfather all those centuries ago. Loki was always a shapeshifter, which was only so helpful to create the fake disguise of the second prince of Asgard if he still could call himself one. 

No... he was Laufey's son... the prince of Jotunheim. 

A Frost Giant. 

A monster that parents scare their children at night with. 

He was a monster, a disgusting blue monster. 

Loki's crimson eyes moved around his body until they laid on the necklace he had founded in Tony's crest. The snake in the emerald was moving so swiftly, almost enchanting the mage. The pulsing green light that was emitting from the crystal was lighting his face. When Loki crossed his eyes again with his reflection, half of his face was glamored in his Aesir disguise and the other was his real, Jotun self. One of his eyes turned back to green, while the other remained crimson.

Suddenly, he heard a soft rustle. Loki moved his eyes to the side and discovered that Tony was sitting on his back paws, looking intensely into Loki's reflection.

_ Oh no! _

Loki dropped the Casket on the ground and willed his glamor to come up, but to no avail. Part of him still showed the true, monstrous form of his. 

And Anthony had seen it. 

"Don't look at me, Anthony," he pleaded his friend. "I am a monster!"

And yet, Anthony did not listen to him. Instead, he walked closer that his snout was touching the back of Loki's knees. He raised his head and crossed his with Loki's.

There was no disgust or fear in Tony's eyes. Far from it actually. If Loki read it correctly, Tony was looking at him with kindness, something that Loki did not expect at all. His furry friend grabbed his blue hand between his teeth, not biting, and pulled him all the way down until they were at the same level. Anthony cocked his head to the left and observed Loki's Jotun form with marvel in his eyes. He wasn't scared at all. Tony looked into Loki's crimson eye again, before he moved his snout in the direction of Loki's half-blue face.

This is where the mage stopped him.

"No!" Loki protested. "Jotun's touch will give you frostbite, Anthony. You cannot touch me."

Tony only snarled and quickly pressed his snout to Loki's cool cheek, only to lick it.

"Tony!" Loki wasn't certain if he wanted to stop Tony's actions or ask him to repeat them. His lick, the touch of his wet nose was... pleasant to him. Loki felt warmth taking over his body, although he was still in his freezing form. It was an odd but pleasant sensation. 

Eventually, Tony leaned back and sat again on his back paws. His brown eyes crossed with Loki's again. There was nothing but warmth in them. Loki felt this warmth all over himself, as he leaned closer to Anthony.

"You don't fear me?" he dared to ask his furry friend. Tony only moved his head from right to left. "But I am a monster."

Tony moved his head from right to left quicker. His eyes changed from warm to angry. The man turned animal pressed his snout into Loki's chest, right where his heart was beating like crazy. Tony sighed, rising his brown eyes at Loki again. There was this warmth in them again. It was so intense that it changed Loki's Jotun form back into his Aesir one. 

Suddenly, Loki felt immense warmth around his chest. He looked down only to discover that the necklace with the snake was pulsing with its green light, warming both Loki and Tony. 

The air around them became heavier. A sweet scent filled Loki's nostrils. It was somehow familiar to Loki, but he couldn't pinpoint the source of it. Tony's eyes never left his. Sparks of light were dancing in them, as he raised his snout higher. Before Loki knew, he was leaning closer to his furry friend. The mage closed his eyes as he pressed his lips to the soft fur on Tony's head.

Greenlight burst from the necklace, blinding both of them. It was so intense, so hot, so overwhelming...

Then, there was nothing but darkness and a deep, unknown voice calling out his name.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be the last part, but I decided to cut it into two parts. The last one will be a small one, an epilogue to this whole story. Stay tuned! I try my best to pull it on until Sunday. Sounds good?


	7. PART VII

_ Loki! Loki! Loki! _

Some unknown, male, deep voice was calling out to him.  _ Who was it? And where was it?  _

_ Where was Loki? _

There was nothing but darkness surrounding him in this particular place. He could see no shape, no light, not anything. Where in the Norns' name was he? 

"Hello, Father," a familiar voice spoke behind his back. Loki quickly turned around and spotted his daughter, Hela, the Queen of Dead. 

"Am I dead, my sweet child?" he asked.

"Not yet," she replied, reaching out to him with her bony hand. Loki took it without hesitation. In his eyes, his cursed children were beautiful. Hela with her half-corpse body, Fenrir with his wolf form, Jormungand with his snake form, and Sleipnir in his stallion form. They were beautiful and his, even though they were ripped away from him. 

"Then why am I in your realm, daughter mine?"

"You are not, father," she responded. "We're between realms. You are not dead, father dear, but you were very close." Loki pondered at her words. He did not remember any harm coming to him lately. In fact... he had a blank space in his mind as if someone wiped away his memories. "The magic hidden in the enchanted necklace you wore blasted at you with so much power. Your seidr naturally reacted to it, clashing, before letting itself being consumed by it. You are in a magical coma now."

"What magi..." Suddenly, all memories from the past few months came back to Loki at once. All those days spent with Tony. Revealing his true nature. The kiss.

_ Breaking Anthony's curse. _

"Anthony!" Loki shouted, looking around. Tony wasn't here. Where was he?! What happened to him?! Did the blast harm him as well?

"Your companion is alright, father," Hela reassured him with a smile. "He's waiting for you to wake up. Well, he will wake you up in a moment. Have a good life with him, father. He is very dear to me, my darling smith. Be happy, father, you deserve it."

Hela disappeared in a mist of her seidr, and Loki was all alone again. He wanted to call out to her, to Tony, but he couldn't find his voice. Suddenly the air in the space became heavier, making it hard for Loki to breathe properly. Slowly, the place was becoming brighter and the male's voice calling out to him was louder and louder. 

Then Loki saw two amber pools before him. He started to run towards them for they were oh too familiar to him. He ran and ran until there was no air in his lungs. Finally, he came to the brightest spot in the space, where there was a green snake, swirling before him, between two amber pools. Loki recognized it immediately from the necklace he had been wearing lately. 

_ "Loki,"  _ a whisper reached his ears, a moment before he felt a ghost touch on his cool lips. 

His heart speeded up its beats, his blood was pumping in his veins again. His lungs filled with air. And then, there was only brightness surrounding him.

...........................................................................

When Loki opened his eyes, he realized two things. One, he was alive and two, he was in his chamber in Asgard's palace. How in the Norns' name did he end up here?

"For Norns' sake! I thought you will never wake up, Loki!" 

This voice... it was the same voice that's been calling out to him in the space between realms. Yet Loki had no idea to whom it belonged to. He tried to sit up on his bed but was stopped by two tanned, strong hands. They were not Thor's, not Fandral's or Volstagg's. Neither they belonged to Hogun or any slave from the palace. Loki moved his eyes further. The man before him wore typical Asgardian attire. Leather pants and red-golden tunic. His face was unfamiliar to Loki. He had a strange, short, funny-cut beard and short, messy hair. He was unfamiliar to Loki until the mage crossed his eyes with the stranger. 

Two amber eyes were watching the mage with fondness and worry. However, they were oh so familiar to him.

"Anthony?" Loki breathed out. 

"Hi there," the man... Tony greeted him with a crooked smile. "So... this is how I truly look, my Prince. I hope, I am as you imagined me to be."

Hm... Loki did not imagine how Tony could look. All he knew that Tony will be the most handsome man he could meet. He wasn't disappointed in this matter. Not at all. 

"Thank you, for breaking the curse, Loki," Anthony regarded him again. "I knew it will be you."

"I beg your pardon?"

"I had dreams of you, darling... oh, Norns, it's so good to hear my voice again," Tony laughed out loud. His laugh was just as beautiful as the rest of him. Loki joined him in laughing too. "I had dreams of you," Tony repeated himself. "Ever since I was cursed, I saw your eyes in my dreams, one red and one green."

"But I..."

"You have two forms," Tony continued. "And they both are who you really are, Loki. They both are dear to me, for you are dear to me." 

"You are dear to me too, Anthony Starkson." 

Loki pushed himself up on his bed until he was seated properly. He tugged on Tony's hand... how strange and yet good felt to hold his human hand. He tugged him down until he sat across him, with only mere inches between them. Loki could feel Tony's sweet breath over his lips. The mage's heart hammered in his chest. His breath was short and heavy. Anthony looked between his eyes and lips before he cursed  _ oh, screw it!  _ and pulled Loki into his arms, crushing his lips over the mage ones. 

It was... Loki had no proper words other than a dream come true. Tony's lips tasted divine. And despite being trapped in an animal form for years, for centuries, he knew how to kiss. Oh, he so did. His lips were firm, but moving oh so gentle in synch with Loki's. It was wonderful, beyond anything Loki could ever imagine. 

When they pulled away, they both panted rather intensely. Their eyes never left the others and their hands quickly found their way to each other. It was surprising, how well fitted his hand was in Tony's. 

"I love you, Loki of Asgard," Anthony confessed by his ear. His sweet breath gave the younger god goosebumps. 

"I love you too, Anthony Starkson," Loki smiled at his companion. "However, if you will growl in your sleep like you've been doing, I swear on Norns that you will sleep on the floor."

"Hey!" Tony bumped him lightly onto his shoulder. "I'm no longer a beast, Mister."

"Indeed, you are not," Loki agreed with him. "You are rather a knight. My handsome knight." 

"It usually the knight who saves the princess, or so I heard," Tony commented with laughter. "However, I am forever glad you saved me, my beautiful Prince. What will happen now?"

"Now?" Loki looked outside as the sun of Asgard was lying low. "Now, we will be happy. I promised someone to be happy with you, my knight. And I intend to keep my word." 


End file.
